While the Bluff City is not a “Blue Zone” known for its abundance of centenarians, one Memphis woman defied the odds last week as she celebrated her 110th birthday.
Born on October 14, 1916 in Massac County, Illinois, Martha McAnespie would set up roots in her parents’ home state of Tennessee (in particular, Shelby County) after marrying her husband, Edward Raymond McAnespie, in 1942.
The couple would go on to raise three children together before Edward passed away in 1966, after which Martha never married again.
However, deeply grounded in her faith and friendships, Martha has maintained a positive attitude through the years, and was even inducted into the Memphis Catholic Hall of Fame in 2024 for her charitable work and spiritual leadership as a lifelong parishioner of Holy Spirit Catholic Church.
Among her many passions, Martha is also a longtime supporter of the Memphis Tigers, about whom she says, “I always root for the Tigers, unless they are playing Notre Dame.”
News Talk 98.9, your home of the Memphis Tigers, would like to wish Martha many more blessings in her 110th year of life.
